Church Staff

I grew up in a small town in the northwest corner of Ohio. My educational and spiritual journey took me to Indiana, Germany, and Boston. I taught Religious Studies at colleges in Tennessee and South Carolina for fifteen years before transitioning into full-time parish ministry. Rector of Grace since 2009, I love ministering a downtown church in a vibrant urban environment. I'm married to Corrie Norman and enjoy reading historical mystery novels, listening to great music, and (when I have the energy) working on projects around the house and garden.

I grew up in the Episcopal Church, attending St. Dunstan’s, where I was very active. I served as an acolyte, senior acolyte, and youth group member. I also chaperoned an Appalachian Service Project trip to Raleigh County, WV and was very involved with Camp Webb as a camper, LIT and staff member from 1999 to 2004. I attended MATC and Luther College and studied Religion and Communications. For the last 8.5 years, I worked for St. Vincent de Paul in Madison. As an assistant at four stores, I helped open two new stores, and for the last four and a half years I was the Assistant Processing Center Manager of Pricing and Sorting at the main SVdP warehouse. I've always wanted to work helping others, so I feel as though this position is the perfect niche for me. I'm very excited to be working in the church and able to help serve the community in a more hands-on role here at Grace. Feel free to drop me a line at togracechurch@gmail.com or call me at (608) 255-5147 X 24. My office hours are M-F 8am to 4:30pm.

I feel truly blessed to serve in two different capacities at Grace Church. I have been a member of Grace since 1984. As the Christian Formation Coordinator, it seems like my life is coming back around since I held the same position in the late 1980s and early 1990s. I have a degree in Elementary Education and was formerly a kindergarten teacher and a school administrator for the Deerfield School District through the Bridges to the Community program. This previous experience, and having been actively involved in this parish for 30 years, has given me the administrative skills and familiarity and understanding necessary to work with the children of this congregation.

Since 2005, I have helped couples coordinate the details leading up to their wedding ceremony in my role as Wedding Coordinator. I respond to all initial wedding inquires, meet with prospective couples to give them a tour of the church, answer any questions, and provide helpful resources in planning their wedding. I am on-site during the rehearsal and on the wedding day to help orchestrate the flow of the day, provide support to the wedding party and guests, troubleshoot any issues that might arise, and will help make sure the ceremony runs as smoothly as possible. It is an honor to help couples celebrate one of the biggest days of their lives.

I have been Deacon at Grace since 2008 when my husband and I moved from Kenosha to Madison. Ordained in 1987, my ministry has centered on teaching, pastoral care and adult formation. The diaconate is a servant ministry, and my work includes recruiting and training worship ministers and Lay Eucharistic Visitors, hospital and home visits. I also help to organize the Sunday morning adult forums. Although I come to Grace during the week, and do not keep regular office hours, I am happy for you to call me at home. Please let me know if you or someone in your family is ill or would like for me to visit, and please let me know if you would like to be a part of lay ministry at Grace either as a worship minister or in assisting with pastoral care.

Vikki Enright started as the Food Pantry Coordinator at Grace in late February, 2017. She also has her own consulting business which focuses on non-profit fundraising.
Before pursuing non-profit work full-time, Vikki worked as an archivist and Senior Legislative Editor for the State of Wisconsin. Vikki earned her BA at Tulane University, and also has an MA in English Literature from Duquesne University, and an MLIS from University of Pittsburgh. She and her husband Tim moved to Madison in 1993 so he could pursue his PhD in English.
Vikki has been involved with many aspects of the Madison community. Her public policy work for the state gave her a deep understanding of various issues facing the community, and she is happy to have the opportunity to engage with the people and institutions that make Madison a special place. Vikki has been involved with the museum, library and various organizations that address poverty, education and food insecurity.

I began attending Grace in early 2013. At the time, I had recently moved back to Madison after completing graduate work in Anthropology and Museum Studies in Milwaukee. I grew up in the church, attending Emmanuel Episcopal in Rockford, IL where I was an acolyte, attended many mission trips and Happening, and later also sang in the choir and played French Horn and piano for special services. I am currently one of the volunteer Sunday School Teacher’s for the 3-6 year olds at Grace Children’s Church, which I have done since the fall of 2016. I am so grateful to be a part of an amazing community of people and for the opportunity to lend my creativity and skill to the outreach and communication efforts here at Grace.

Beyond serving as an assistant priest, I co-chair the Healing Prayer Group with Kara Pagano. I feel honored to participate in this ministry because it was such a vital part of Jesus' ministry, and he charged us to carry on his work. Healing is a process that involves the totality of our being, directing us to become the person God is calling us to be at every stage of our living and dying. Accordingly, the Healing Prayer team offers prayers for healing or for any other request during Communion at the 10 o'clock service. If you would like to participate in this ministry, please let me know.

As music director at Grace, I have the fortunate opportunity to work with the talented and generous singers, instrumentalists, and music supporters from the parish and the Madison area to plan and oversee the musical expressions within the services of the church year. Since music at Grace church finds its primary expression within the framework of the liturgy, it is a blessing to work with the vibrant, beautiful, and meaningful expressions of our Anglican musical resources including psalmody, choir anthems, organ voluntaries, hymns, and other musical settings of liturgical texts as the spiritual community of Grace offers these expressions to God. If you are interested in either participating or supporting the musical experiences at Grace, please contact me for more conversation.

I began my church music career as a boy soprano at St. Paul's Parish (K St.) in Washington, D.C., eventually serving on the music staff of churches in seven states. My degrees in organ performance come from the Eastman School of Music and the University of Michigan. As an organist, I've won prizes in the Fort Wayne, Ann Arbor, and American Guild of Organists National Competitions, and I've performed solo recitals at venues such as Overture Hall. As a collaborative pianist, I've worked with numerous singers, instrumentalists, and ensembles, including the Ann Arbor Cantata Singers, University of Michigan choirs, Colgate University Chorus, and (currently) the Wisconsin Chamber Choir.
My wife, Catherine Arnott Smith, is Associate Professor at UW-Madison School of Library & Information Studies, and we reside in Stoughton. I am so pleased to be part of Grace Episcopal Church!

Originally from Minnesota, James lived and worked as a cellist in New York City for nine years before moving to Madison last fall to begin studies in the UW-Madison School of Music doctoral program as a University Graduate Fellow. James has led a diverse career as a chamber
musician, educator, and entrepreneur, and is comfortable in a variety of musical and collaborative settings. James and his wife, pianist Alyona Aksyonova, tour regularly in the U.S. and beyond as the recital team A.W.Duo (awduo.com). While in New York City, James founded
Listen Closely, a community-centered chamber music initiative dedicated to serving the working-class neighborhoods of uptown Manhattan. James loves cooking, being outdoors, and spending time with his wife and their 3-year old daughter, Sofia.